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Jungkook and Hoseok were best friends since childhood. Hoseok moved to Busan in his early childhood and ended up being next door to Jungkook. Jungkook approached Hoseok whilst he was alone on the swings, and Hoseok's smile embarked their journey together.They were inseparable from then. Jungkook helped Hoseok blend in, Hoseok helped Jungkook too since Jungkook was introverted despite his positive personality. They basically completed each other, and life couldn’t be better. They went to school, college and even to the same university. They did everything together. Jungkook always watched and admired Hoseok's dancing; Hoseok taught him how to dance too. They practiced together for hours until one of them dropped, but that didn't matter since both have a great time doing it. The bond between them never died, but only grew stronger no matter how many things life threw at both of them and no matter how many obstacles they faced. They were roommates and always made time to see each other until graduation. But then the time came where they both moved on with their own passions, Jungkook’s being with photography and Hoseok with dance. Although they were best friends at heart, the distance between them led to a long silence between them. Jungkook always walked on the beach they always went to as kids, and always felt the same feeling, the storm of memories surging inside him. He just wished Hoseok was there beside him. Months later, Hoseok’s passion took him to America and he labeled himself as “Jay”. One day, after such a busy day of teaching, he came along a surprise on his phone lighting up with the name “Kookie” printed on it.Guilt rushed inside Jay. Jungkook is his best friend, so he felt inclined to help him but at the same time he was so helpless; he was on the other side of the globe, and he hated that he wasn’t even able to give Jungkook a hug. Their friendship solely relied on occasional messages and video calls now, is there really anything Jay can do to help Jungkook with this hectic schedule of his?? He picked his phone up and dialed Jungkook’s number...“Hello?” Jay’s heart lit up as soon as he heard his friend’s lost voice and saw his face for the first time in forever. It didn’t matter to him that it was behind a screen, the fact that Jungkook was interacting live with him.“Hey, it’s been a while. I’ve really missed you.” Even though both of them are physically mature, Jay could still see the youth and innocence behind Jungkook’s facial features and brown messy hair and memories of their younger selves resurfaced inside him, and he couldn’t help but smile. “I’m so sorry to distract you from whatev—“ Jungkook began but was interrupted.“No, I’m the who should be sorry. I should have asked about you, I should have been there for you, but my passion has turned into a selfish drive, and I have consequently left the person who mostly shaped me behind.” Jay waited for Jungkook’s reponse but didn’t get one. He looked too stunned to reply. A few seconds stretched into a minute and Jungkook finally opened his mouth to say something, but instead his voice cracked and a tear rushed down his cheek, and Jay couldn’t find a reason to blame him for it. “I- I know you’re guilty, but listen Hoseok. As much as it’s your fault we’ve become far apart, it’s- it’s my fault too. I- I should’ve reached out t-to you too. Relationships are two sided, and I j-just sad there expecting you to reach out and do everything when I should’ve done something about it.” Jungkook was trying to fight a losing battle against the tears rushing down his face like a waterfall, and seeing his friend suffer like this, Jay felt his own tears raging too.“Please. Please tell me how you feel. I’ll do whatever I can to help you”“I don’t really know if there’s a word to describe it, but I feel empty, it’s the emotional equivalence of — watching paint dry. Ever since you left I felt like I was just — there. Like everybody is doing things and falling in love and achieving great things like you are and I’m just existing with no purpose.” Jay opened his mouth to respond but Jungkook carried on.“I know you’re probably thinking why I didn’t ask you to stay. Dance is your passion, Hoseok, I didn’t want you to give up all you’ve ever loved for me. I’m not worth it. Anyone in your shoes would’ve done the same thing that you did since it is something you’ve worked your whole life for.” Jungkook wiped his tears, and Jay could tell that Jungkook felt guilty too.“Jungkook I’m too far away to help, but I promise, I promise I will figure something out for you. I’m not forgiving myself if your mental wellbeing is paying the price for my career. As for now, we have to call more often, I’m getting very concerned.”“I’m so sorry I bothered—““Don’t be. I’m actually glad you did. Now please rest and take care of yourself until we call again.” Hoseok smiled and saw that Jungkook did so too. “I love you hyung, good bye.”
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2:27 am, Hoseok It’s been 3 hours after the call, and Jay was still wide awake, overthinking. Can he really help Jungkook? Actually, is there anything he can really do for him? The thoughts are killing him... Not only does he feel helpless but he also LIED— he knew there was nothing he knew of that could be done, and yet he still said it. What if Jungkook’s mental health worsens because of his false reassurance? Knowing that his worries would keep him awake, he got up, got dressed and decided to go for a walk. The subtle cold air brushed his cheeks as he stepped outside. He closed his eyes and remembered Jungkook painting his face for halloween every year, he was an incredible artist. He slowly walked, trying to examine what’s around him with the moonlight fainltly illuminating what surrounds him. Jungkook lived so far away yet everything Jay set his eyes on reminded him of something to do with Jungkook. "Am I really his bestfriend if I don’t do the bare minimum to help him?" Jay thought to himself. He got so lost in his train of thoughts that he found himself on the beach near his home. He sighed and then sat, watching the waves slowly enlarge and resurface, and then fade into the ocean in an endless cycle. He remembered the time when Jungkook took him to the beach in Busan for the first time, when the scent of the combination of salt and water hit him for the first time and when the sun’s rays hit Jungkook’s place as soon as he began to show Jay his favorite place. He looked up to the stars and contemplated, it reminded him of Jungkook too, as he had a deep interest in astronomy. "Out of all of the times I could’ve existed, out of all of the places I could’ve moved to, out of all of the people I have met, it was you, Jungkook." "I feel like it’s not just me who should be around you, it’s not just me who should love you and cherish you, someone else should too." And in that instant, as if a lightbulb suddenly lit in his head Hoseok had an idea.
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2:40 am, JungkookSurrounded by the millions of photographs he took, Jungkook was laying on his bed, wide awake too.His eyes shifted from photo to photo under with the help of the small lamp lighted on his desk, as every moment he spent with Jay revealed itself inside him. He slowly felt a different emotion resurface inside him as he observed every photograph. They were mainly positive, he was too attached to Jay to be mad at him for too long anyways. He was just felt... grateful for his friend's existence, knowing that Jay was out there who was happy and healthy and following his dreams. Sure, it did seem that Jay had accomplished far more in his life than Jungkook did, but Jungkook never envied him for it - his admiration for the older boy kept growing and growing every time Jay managed to take a step closer to what he wanted to do.After conducting his observations, he sat up, got dressed and left to go to the beach. As he strolled on the shore, the moonlight struck his cheeks and a mild breeze played with his messy hair. He vividly remembered when his face illuminated by the sun’s golden rays when he showed Jay the beach for the first time, how he thought they going to spend the rest of their lives together. He laughed to himself, he was so innocent back then, even his vision of the future seemed to be so naïve. People come and go, and Jay was bound to leave his life in one way or another.Now that he’s grown up, that has changed, they were miles apart now. He felt Hoseok’s bond, even though the time they spent together now is drastically shorter than from when they were kids. He missed that feeling, he wanted to love and feel that mutual emotion from someone, but with Jay, it seemed difficult, almost impossible. But that didn’t stop Jungkook from sitting there, celebrating all of the memories they made together. He smiled to himself while he watched the stars illuminating the dark clear sky like tiny fairy lights, thinking of Jay. "If only I can experience these feelings all over again."And at that specific moment, Jungkook could’ve sworn he saw one of the stars shine brighter for a brief moment. "Maybe someone out there heard me." He could be lying to himself at this point but he felt that the universe had something in store for him. He slowly sat down, and stared at that one star, that lone one which seemed to stand out from the others. Every other star seemed to belong somewhere, in some sort of constellation, as if all of these stars belonged somewhere. But that lone one didn't - it seemed to be isolated, almost rejected from the other clusters. It didn't have the beauty of complimenting the other stars but Jungkook felt that the star has its own sense of beauty on its own. Yes, his thoughts might have seemed to be slightly unusual, but Jungkook acknowledged the fact that this is how he coped with his existence.
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All what Jay wanted to do was put his idea into action. During his spare times, he searched online for someone he could recall from his past who could possibly bond with Jungkook. Maybe a classmate? A distant friend? An acquaintance? He thought the best option would be with someone who lived in Busan too, so the distance doesn’t break Jungkook. He searched and searched for hours. The hours stretched for days and extended into a week. Nothing. He should've known: Jungkook is an introvert, his options were limited in the first place. He felt that even though they were best friends since forever, he might've actually known nothing about the younger boy. Or maybe Jungkook's world was mainly Jay, which is why Jungkook was struggling after all. Jay came to realize that Jungkook had to deal with the overwhelming burden when someone who meant the world to him left him. Frustrated, he left his bedroom to go for a walk and slammed the door shut. He went to the beach he ended up in last week and looked at the shore again. It was partly cloudy that day, but there were rays making their way between the clouds. "Where there is darkness, there is also light."He looked at the waves. He remembered the struggles he faced, every obstacle he overcame, with Jungkook's help, that shaped him into who he was at this moment. That lead him to where he stood that day. That bond that Jungkook felt; Jay felt it too. He had to thank Jungkook for taking him to all of the places they went to together; Jungkook’s perception of the importance of noticing details sure opened his eyes to the world. Because of Jungkook, Jay was able to see the small things and appreciate the beauty in every subject. Jungkook's was of thinking was truly amazing and one of a kind.Jay smiled to himself and went back home to carry on with his search. As soon as he entered his bedroom, Jay was surprised to find a photograph on the floor. "It must’ve flown after I slammed the door." It was one of the few photographs Jay took himself. It was the beach in Busan again, but Jungkook was centered with squinted eyes and his contagious bunny smile. Behind him were waves just as messy as his hair and his eyes glimmered to Jay through the photo. There was an element of innocence that Jay still saw when they had that video call. No matter how much Jungkook aged, he was still that adorable photography enthusiast to Jay.It was then when Jay finally found his answer.
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His feelings changed. He wasn’t completely happy, but things sure felt better. The photos he took started to look greener, it looked like more life was in them for the first time since Hoseok left him. During one evening, Jungkook looked at the photos he took. He then looked at the millions pinned on the wall and contemplated. "These photographs really do reflect how I feel." He smiled. He examined the ones he recently took. Yes, they certainly had a greater element of life in them, but something was missing. What it was, he did not know. He rested his palms on the table and closed his eyes. He remembered when he first found out about his passion for photography. His subjects were the things and the people he admired, so it was no surprise that his early photographs mainly consisted of Hoseok and his radiant smile. The venues of the photographs were everywhere: amusement parks, natural parks, coffee shops and museums. Mainly museums and coffee shops. Jungkook hasn’t been to one since Hoseok left. His photos just had anonymous subjects who have coincidentally happened to be at the time where Jungkook pressed his camera’s button. You cross different people in your path for a reason after all. Jungkook closed his eyes and visualized himself doing the things he did with Jay now, but with someone different. Would he still feel his heart burn with excitement as he did before? Would he become happy again? If he took photographs, would they be the same again as they were? He suddenly snapped back to reality when the doorbell rang.
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Jungkook was attacked by a pair of arms as soon as he opened the door. He froze —too stunned to reply, the last thing he expected was his best friend to travel countries to come for him just because he was mentally struggling. It was as if Jungkook’s world was a gloomy day and Jay was the ray of sun that penetrated the darkness. “I took some time off work to come see you.” Jungkook could tell it was such a tiring journey for Jay to get to him, Jay looked like he has just escaped a zombie apocalypse on his way to Jungkook. “You’ve lost weight.” Compared to when Jungkook saw him in the past, Jay seemed very delicate to the point that anything could potentially break him. “Don’t worry, I teach more often now, but I genuinely love my new job now. But this isn’t about me, it’s you. Why don’t you go get dressed so we can go to our favorite coffee shop?” Jungkook’s heart lit up. “And I’ll bring my camera with me.” -- The rich smell of coffee made their way to the boys as soon as they opened the door that led them to their favorite place. It’s not that either of them minded; it was more familiar than ever now and it brought them memories of when they were younger. Luckily for them, the place where they always sat in was vacant, as if it were waiting for them. The boys headed to the corner of the shop, where there was a small table surrounded by round stools and countless books resting on the bookshelves that covered the walls. It seemed to be isolated from the rest of the room, but that didn’t matter to the boys since it gave them their own space to relax and be themselves. “It feels like we’ve just traveled back in time to when we came here every day,” Jungkook sighed once they made themselves comfortable. “I really miss these days,” Hoseok agreed. “Since we barely talked since you left, let’s catch up with what we’ve each missed on,” Jungkook suggested. Both of them conversed about everything, just like the old days. Jay updated Jungkook about all of the new styles of dance he can perform to and highlighted his personal favorite classes. Jungkook couldn’t help but feel some sense of pride emerge within him: Jay has gone so far to do what he loved and he was almost where he wanted to be. “And what about you Jungkook?” Jay asked. “I’m still the same guy who sells photographs for a living,” Jungkook sighed. “The focus of my subjects have changed though,” He continued. “It used to be you in the past, you were what I mainly took photos of. But now that you’re gone, I’ve tried to change that focus. I’m not fully satisfied with what I’ve done yet, but I’m getting there. I’ll show you when we get home.” “Actually, about your photography,” Jay stopped for a brief moment before carrying on. “Someone I really look up to contacted me a few days ago... they didn’t ask for me, they asked for your work.”
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Jungkook froze, too startled to absorb what his friend just told him. Why on earth would Jay’s role model ask for Jungkook’s work, and not Jay’s? Jungkook immediately assumed that the person Jay was talking about is a dancer, so there was nothing he could think of that might’ve sparked that mysterious person’s interest. “Are you sure? No... this can’t be, it has to be a mistake. They must’ve mistaken me for you.” Jungkook finally spoke after a minute of silence stretched between them, which felt like forever for Jay. Jay smiled. “It’s not, let me tell you why. They saw my profile, they saw my dance videos and they saw how I’ve progressed over time, and I’ve got my share of praise from them. But what caught their eye the most was the photographs that you take from me, YOUR eyes and YOUR exposure of me to the world.” “They think you have potential,” Jay continued since Jungkook didn’t seem to have a response. “They did say they admired my dance, and would love to collaborate with me, don’t get me wrong, but they also mentioned that they way you capture your shots and mini films were just beautiful. They said that you could genuinely tell that you put your heart and soul into your work and that your audience is privileged to view their content from your eyes.” Jungkook’s mouth curled into a small grin, as he slowly tried to process and absorb the huge amount of praise he just received. This was the first time in his life where he actually received such a flattering comment from someone who isn’t Jay, and it was about time Jungkook accepted the fact that Jay was right all along, even though he might not believe it. Before then he thought that Jay was only complimenting him due to their mutual bestfriend connection, but now Jungkook’s view widened to Jay genuinely admiring his work, and sharing them across all of his social media platforms until someone out there noticed him. He remembered when Jay received an offer to study and teach dance in one of the best institutes of performing arts on a global scale in Canada; how he couldn’t contain his excitement and how proud he was of the older boy when he finally got what he deserved. It was always Jay who got noticed, never Jungkook. But this was different. It fact, this was as if the world suddenly transformed into another universe where Jungkook was getting celebrated for his work. Jungkook’s work WAS good enough, at least he thought, for him to get that degree he needed to pursue his passion, but he never thought of it being impressive to someone else. “If I were you, I would take the offer up you know,” Jay interrupted Jungkook’s train of thoughts. The was Jay looked at the younger one showed that he was just as excited for Jungkook as he was, and if not, then more. Jungkook stared at the other, in awe, and Jay could tell that Jungkook still hasn’t grasped what happened yet. Jay laughed, “You can’t turn it down anyways, I already told them you’re taking the offer up, since I know you won’t reply.” -- Jungkook laughed. “So you’ve accepted the offer for me, and you’ve not even told me who the person is.” “Oh, my bad, forgive me,” Jay apologized. “I haven’t really asked him for his actual name, but he goes under the name The @rtist. He’s a multitalented guy actually, he sings and dances and writes his own music too. Do you remember him? I’ve shown you some of his content before, he’s the contemporary guy who occasionally dances to hip hop at times. It’s hard to see what his face looks like but I think he deliberately does that during his videos for his own reasons.” Jungkook actually remembered the guy. He knew how phenomenal The @rtist was. He remembered how Jay used to look up to him, and to be honest, Jungkook admired him too. The guy then suddenly blew up, and then out of nowhere, he was EVERYWHERE. He always performed behind a mask so no one actually knows who he is. But out of all people, Jungkook didn’t expect him out of all people to reach out for him; the guy was so talented to the point that he seemed out of reach - how on Earth did the guy find him? “I understand you’re a bit shocked,” Jay observed Jungkook’s facial expressions. “It’s a bit too much, I know. You’ll need a bit of time to take all of this in, and that’s fine. But I have seen a couple of the photographs on his profile, and most of them seen to be based in Busan, so I’m assuming he’s around here just like you are.” Nervous was the emotion that circled Jungkook then. It would’ve felt easier if the person actually revealed himself, but that guy was just a mysterious entertainer. No one knows what he looked like. It was hard to even guess what the guy could be like since his facial features remained unknown. “How about you finish your drink before it goes cold, and then we go back to your place and do something there?” Jay’s voice interrupted his thoughts. Jungkook looked down onto mug which reflected his soft tender features and smiled before finishing his drink.
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They decided to head home, since it was pretty cold and it was getting cold. Jay’s focus altered between photo to photo. His smile grew bigger and bigger as he moved from one photograph to the next, like a child being given a reward whenever he did well. “You know your work will always be a masterpiece to me, no matter how small it was to people or how big it will become,” Jay turned to Jungkook. “Now that someone unrelated to you shares my same opinion, I hope you open your eyes and realize that your work is genuinely great!!” Jungkook felt a crimson rush fill his cheeks. “I still don’t understand, what does he want from me?” “Why don’t we message him and find out?” As soon as Jungkook pressed send, he received a call, as if the person on the other end of the line was waiting for him to act. “Hello, I’ve been waiting for you.” A young man appeared, he didn’t seem to be much older than the other two boys, he even seemed younger but it was difficult to tell since there was a physical barrier covering his features. The young man wore a masquerade mask that covered the majority of his face. You’d expect a mask to have soft, delicate details and femine patterns but this one didn’t. This one had an industrialized touch to it, as if it had been extracted from a steel factory, it was one neither Jungkook or Jay saw or ever knew existed. That’s not to mention that the dim lighting wasn’t helping either. The other end of the line was just... eerily mysterious. Jungkook froze. He didn’t know how to respond. He must appear like this for a reason, Jungkook thought. He wants to remain anonymous. Jungkook wanted to know why, but he also felt he wasn’t in a position to ask considering he knew nothing about the guy. “Jeon Jungkook, it’s a pleasure, your friend Hoseok told me about you and how great you are, I feel honoured that you’ve agreed to help me,” The @rtist’s voice softened after seeing Jungkook’s stiffness. Since Jungkook hasn’t spoken, he smiled at the pair, and Jungkook relaxed. “Look, I understand you’re shocked, but trust me, I’m not as scary as I look, I promise. I’m asking you for something. I have this huge project coming up, and I think you’re the perfect person who can assist me on this.” “S-so you want me to... to collaborate?? With you??” -- “Yes silly, YOU.” The @rtist let out a squeaky giggle that completely contrasted the tone he’d used earlier. This made Jungkook completely relax. To be honest, that laugh was contagious and it warmed his heart. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Jay must have felt it too. “So,” The @rtist carried on. “I know I’ve not shown you what I’m thinking of yet, but I hope you agree to it.” The nervousness inside him slowly surfaced as he uttered every word, as if he was progressively losing confidence. “So would you like to tell him what you have in mind?” Jay spoke for the first time since the call began. “I have this upcoming project, that I’ve been secretly working on for years, and since I’m starting to get known, I thought I might want to release it soon. It just— needs some finishing touches, and it’s a bit ... personal. It’s about the psychological journeys a person can experience. Before I carry on, if you agree to work with me, you CANNOT tell anyone about this project, not anyone. Hoseok is the only other person who knows about it other than you, so I need to know I can count on you. Can I trust you??” “Yes, and I’m taking the offer.” Jungkook literally had no idea how the words came out of his mouth, he had never said anything with such certainty. He was sure that some other soul replaced his for those last few seconds just to utter these words. On the other side of the line, The @rtist smiled, and Jungkook and Jay could’ve sworn they saw the other guy blush, even under minimal light. “Before I call you next time, I want to show these 2 images. I’m sure you know them since you took them yourself. I want you to try and guess why I picked them, and don’t worry if you get things wrong or if you don’t have an answer at all, I won’t kill you. Until then, I’ll be waiting for you, next week. Same time.” “Agreed,” Jungkook confirmed, “See you.” He smiled, and the call ended.
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Silence stretched between the two boys after the call ended. “I didn’t expect you to sound so confident when you agreed to take the offer,” Jay broke the silence. “Well since you already told him I was going to take the offer up, I didn’t want to let my only bestfriend down.” Jungkook paused. “And besides, during that call, it felt... odd.” “What do you mean?” “Remember when we were kids, and I had this ‘weird’ belief of love?” Jungkook paused, expecting the elder boy to answer. Jay thought for a few moments. “Did it involve a bell?” “Yes, I believed that I’d hear the sound of a bell if I encounter my soulmate.” “So I’m assuming that you think you might’ve heard it,” Jay concluded. “I don’t just think so, I’m SURE I’ve heard it. For all this time I got laughed for believing this to the point where I stopped believing in it myself. You can call me crazy but this is PROOF that it’s true.” Jay looked puzzled. “So you think he could be your soulmate?” Jungkook smiled sadly. “I’d like to think of that, but it’s hard, but I think I might’ve felt that to make myself feel better since it brought something up from the past.” Jay didn’t know what to do to make his friend feel better. He got up and slowly moved closer to Jungkook and pulled him into a long warm embrace. “I know you’re trying to fit in, but in all honesty you are too pure for this world,” Jay spoke during their tight hug. “You are a special person, and I’m sure one day you’ll find someone special who can deeply understand you. And just know that I’m always here for you, no matter what, you’ll always be my bestfriend no matter where life takes us.” Jungkook let tears fall down is face, and Jay cuddled Jungkook more forcefully as soon as he heard his best friend sniffle. “Hoseok, is it okay if you stay for a bit longer? I really miss your company.” Jungkook finally spoke, after their hug. Jay smiled, “I’ll take time off work, you are more important to me. Now let’s find the photos The @rtist assigned you before we forget which ones he asked for.” The pair then headed to Jungkook’s photography room to begin a long search for the 2 photos The @rtist showed them.
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As soon as the call ended, he sighed loudly, ran his fingers through his hair and took his mask off in the artificial dim light. "That boy is so beautiful," he thought to himself. "If only he knew that. I want the world to know him." He hated his life. Yes, things seemed to get better; after years and years of overworking himself to perfection, his efforts were finally beginning to pay off for him, but he also felt empty, misunderstood, isolated. With the mask still held between his fingers, he got up and walked towards the window. The view he witnessed is generally the same, like every day, nothing special. Half of the Earth showed itself to him, rotating slowly as if it were struggling to do the bare minimum due to its huge size. He wanted to go outside, but he knew that the moon had no mercy on him, he’s stuck inside his capsular home. "There must be so much going on down there," he thought. Tears started to form in the corners of his eyes. He wanted to know what it felt like to do the things every other human wanted to do. He tried to imagine what someone like Jungkook did on a daily basis, before realizing he had no idea because he’s never experienced it. He wanted to feel loved, he wanted someone to get to know him in person, rather than that talented masked figure behind a screen. He could only read about human things, never experience them. As much as he had these desires, he also knew that this was impossible, he’s stuck living a life he didn’t choose to live. The world is progressing and changes were taking place during every single moment, and he was stuck in this stupid capsule. The thoughts were too heavy on his mind, his knees started to wobble. His legs involuntarily took him to the darkest corner of his room. He dropped and hugged his knees. He glared at the mask still held onto his hand. "For how long will I keep hiding?" He thought. "For how long will things stay like this?" All he knew is that no one ever left that place of his, and that was enough to destroy any earth-like fantasy he ever wanted to experience. It just seemed... impossible. He started to weep. In fact, he had to cover his mouth whilst sobbing, because it was so loud and he didn’t want to be heard. “Jimin?” A voice interrupted his privacy. -- A taller boy stood by his door. He had silver messy wavy hair accompanied by grey hair and dangly earrings. He had a sharp jawline and an almost symmetrical face, and the makeup he applied made his facial features sharper. If he were on Earth, his appearance would spark attention, let alone the fact that he enjoyed alternating between an unusual vintage and grunge fashion styles. “You’ve not eaten today, are you sure —” His bestfriend’s voice slowly trailed off as soon as he saw his best friend weeping in the corner of the room. Taehyung switched the lights on and slowly made his way to Jimin. He sat down next to the younger boy and held him in his arms while Jimin sobbed on his chest. “Jimin-ah, what is it this time?” “I’ve just called the guy,” Jimin choked the words out. “Did he turn it down?” “No.” “Then what’s wrong?” Taehyung looked worried. Jimin didn’t say anything but just looked into the older boy’s eyes for a moment, tears still falling down his cheeks. “For how long will things be like this?” Taehyung looked puzzled. “Like what?” “Don’t you ever wish we were just normal people? Just living down on Earth?” “Yes, but —“ “Look I know, you’ve been telling me this every single time. But listen, you’ve been in a relationship with Yoongi hyung since forever, you don’t feel as lonely, you’ve always been happy around him, and I’m just as happy for you. But at the same time, I’ve always been third wheeling you two.” Jimin carried on, “I promise you I was fine, but then I made that call, and the guy, Jungkook... I don’t know what happened, but remember when we watched “Your Name” when we were young?“ Taehyung nodded, it was one of Jimin’s favorite movies of all time, there was simply no way he’d forget. “Remember when I used to think that the bell thing could happen in real life? That when 2 soulmates pass each other they hear a bell? I might be crazy but I think it might’ve happened.” “What? With THAT photographer?” “Yeah, I’d like to believe that.” Jimin sighed. “I’d like to believe that someday, I’ll be able to go down to Earth and see him with my own eyes. But sometimes I wonder, for how long will I keep lying to myself and denying the painful reality of me being up here, living a life that I didn’t choose to have?” Taehyung smiled sadly at his friend. Taehyung sighed deeply before letting the words come out of his mouth, “You know what? Sometimes I DO wish I could be down there, but has it ever happened? No. No one has left this thing, and it’s the first of its type to be launched. But at the same time I think the universe has great plans for you Jimin, your career is being noticed and I’m faithful you’ll find that special someone too. You’ve just got to fight the battle you’re fighting, because you’re doing so well!” Taehyung smiled at Jimin before wiping the other boy’s tears with his thumbs. “Taehyung hyung, can you stay here for a bit longer?” Jimin finally smiled. “Of course, but you have to promise me to eat afterwards.” The pair just remained in silence, with Jimin resting his head on Taehyung’s shoulders while embracing the older boy. They were so focused on each other they didn’t notice a third boy standing by the door. He was there the whole time, and after the conversation ended, he quietly left to make a phone call. -- Yoongi was his name. Just like the other 2 boys, he was sent on this capsule without his consent, since he was taken by force at a young age. His height was somewhere between Jimin’s and Taehyung’s, but unlike the other two boys, Yoongi’s body frame was noticeably narrower to the point where he often looked smaller than Jimin. His jet-black hair made his skin look as pale as twilight. That is not to mention that he almost always wore black apparel that contributed to that subtle skin tone. He shared his passions with Jimin, he also made music, but was a rapper and producer while Jimin was a singer and a dancer. Yoongi produced a large portion of Jimin’s music and acts and often did collaborations together. He also had an undercover stage name, Agust D. Just like Jimin, he hated it here too. It wasn’t the fact that he was there, it was the fact that he was brought here against his own will. But unlike Jimin, he was pretty good at hiding how he felt. After all, he was the eldest, he had no other choice but to stay strong for the other two. He felt it was best to not express himself in a way that could the younger two to feel pity for him, so he usually had a cold look on his face which contrasted to his breaking internally whenever he witnessed either of the boys shed a tear. As soon as he was out of sight from the younger boys, he leaned against the wall and placed his hands over his face, trying to contemplate what he just heard. "He’s falling for the boy, and the boy thinks he’s in Busan," Yoongi’s thoughts spiraled in his mind, feeling anxious for both Jimin and Jungkook. There was only one thing Yoongi to think of, and that was to call Jay. He slowly got up, and went to the room furthest from Jimin’s to ensure that his conversation would go unheard. He nervously dialed Jay’s number and waited for an answer. “Hello?” a sleepy voice answered. “Hi, is this Jung Hoseok?” Yoongi heard a “mmhmm”. He wasn’t sure if that was a sign of approval but he carried on. “I’m so sorry if I woke you up, but this is important,” Yoongi laughed nervously, “I’m The @rtist’s friend, Agust D, has he told me about you?” The line went silent for a few seconds before he heard a reply, “You- you’re his producer if I’m correct?” “Yes I am... And about that call you made earlier today, there’s something I should tell you, but promise me you won’t tell the other boy.” Yoongi’s voice trailed off. “I promise, but what is there to hide from Jungkook?” Yoongi could sense Jay was starting to get worried since Jay’s tone was also starting to change. “Um — so remember the ‘Lunar Life’ project that was launched 12 years ago?” Yoongi began. “The one where they’ve sent 10 boys aged between 1-5 to the moon to see if it was possible to live there?” Jay wasn’t sure where this conversation was heading since he completely forgot this project was launched. It happened when Hoseok was a 3 year old boy, there was no way he’s remember any detail, but Jungkook always mentioned it due to his interest in the astronomical sciences. “You are correct, except there’s only 3 of them left, the other 7 didn’t make it for all sorts of reasons. I am one of them and so is the one you just called.” “Wait what?” “Just like I told you, wait, please turn the camera on so I can show you.” Jay hesitated but then did what was asked of him. “Let me show you the outside of my window,” Yoongi got up and rotated his phone camera to show Hoseok. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you earlier,” Hoseok smiled. “Look you can call me Yoongi, okay?” Hoseok nodded. “Look I’m telling you not to tell the other guy because — listen, I think he’s falling for your friend, Hoseok, and I’m terrified that if he finds out he’ll leave my friend Jimin, and it’ll shatter Jimin for life.” “I understand. Don’t worry. Also you can call me anytime Yoongi” “Of course, the same goes to you,” Yoongi smiled. “As for now I have to go, good bye.” As soon as the call ended, Hoseok’s smile faded. Oh shit.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was killing him. The wait. The expectation. Everything. He heard his friend snore loudly and he was currently the polar opposite of that. Out of all of the people in the world, why him? How on earth did he find him? What could The @rtist want from him? What did he find in Jungkook that attracted him? Why did he contact Jay instead of him? What did he want from those pictures? He had a thousand more questions spiraling inside him. For years he kept working and working on minimum pay, and out of nowhere, this happened. He had a chance to be known, to be heard, to be SEEN. He was under the spotlight. And the guy himself, the @rtist, he was mysterious, or so Jungkook thought. He couldn’t really figure anything out apart from the fact that he had thick, doll-like lips, and pale hair colour that he couldn’t pick out because of the dim lighting. His choice of dark clothing completely masked his body frame too, which made things even more difficult for Jungkook. His personality was quite queer he thought too, his tone easily transformed from seriousness to a joyful 12 year old. Knowing that everything he’s thinking is an obstacle to his sleep, he got up and went to study the photographs him and Jay found earlier. The first thing he did when he laid his hands on them was turn them over to find the date. 09-09-2016 It was the day after Jay left him. He thought the world collapsed right before his eyes, the one person he trusted with his life leaving him on his own. He thought he wasn’t going to last, but he did. The first picture he took was of his literal state at the time. He felt alone, the person who was “supposed” to be with him no longer was there, and that left an empty space in his heart that he did not know how to fill. The second one however, contrasted that, it showed his feeling. He knew Jay was too far away but he always knew they were best friends at heart. It was a metaphor for the reality he wanted. It was when he let his loneliness, his thoughts consume him whole, shutting the rest of what the world had to offer to him out just because he found it difficult to move on. He gave himself a sentence he didn’t deserve, and it cost him his mental health. Maybe this new person can befriend him? Maybe they can bond over Jungkook’s pictures? He was so caught up in his memories, he nearly had a mini heart attack when his phone vibrated. A third image flashed from the screen, but unlike the other two, this was one Jungkook didn't take. In fact, it was one Jungkook didn't recognize at all. There was a silhouette centered slightly towards the left of the screen with a slight tilt towards the right side of the frame. It was a male, probably enclosed in a faintly lit room with a pair of wings emerging from his back.A caption was also accompanied with it, "Take a look at this one." Jungkook didn’t know how to answer, but the guy might’ve had another idea. Another text message appeared. "Tomorrow. 3 p.m." "The guy seems to be serious", Jungkook thought. But he didn’t understand what the 3rd image had to do with the other two? What was he supposed to do with it? He didn’t want to disappoint the other, but he was genuinely confused. He sat there contemplating for a while before he got interrupted by Hoseok’s phone ringing in the middle of the night.